Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $427 per month in Rawalpindi vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $665 per month in Rawalpindi vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $902 per month in Rawalpindi vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Rawalpindi is about 58% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rawalpindi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Rawalpindi 68% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.75 PKR 485

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-70.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.18 PKR 3,942

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-57.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 PKR 1,441

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-28.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 PKR 435

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 951

Cappuccino

$1.67 PKR 464

$1.63 COP 5,687

2.45%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 PKR 95.4

$1.09 COP 3,821

-68.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.1

$0.73 COP 2,548

-71.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 PKR 221

$1.05 COP 3,662

-23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$1.29 COP 4,515

-56.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 358

$1.32 COP 4,617

-2.27%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 326

$2.27 COP 7,927

-48.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 PKR 1,690

$4.35 COP 15.2K

39.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 PKR 926

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-43.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.52 PKR 1,256

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-47.50%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 PKR 275

$2.25 COP 7,844

-56.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 PKR 178

$1.07 COP 3,733

-40.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 256

$1.52 COP 5,322

-39.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 141

$1.42 COP 4,964

-64.08%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 100

$1.17 COP 4,084

-69.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$1.17 COP 4,077

-58.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 PKR 66.7

$0.89 COP 3,096

-73.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.90 COP 3,146

-55.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.38 PKR 4,554

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 285

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 PKR 635

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 PKR 530

$2.25 COP 7,837

-15.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 55.9

$0.84 COP 2,916

-76.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.52 PKR 2,646

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-77.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 234

$1.41 COP 4,912

-40.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 PKR 91.0

$1.90 COP 6,634

-82.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 PKR 854

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-60.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 254

$1.01 COP 3,509

-9.90%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.4K PKR 4.9M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

-0.76%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-13.69%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$100 PKR 27.9K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

19.84%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.12 PKR 1,146

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-56.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.38 PKR 4,555

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-32.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.15 PKR 2,821

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-59.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.73 PKR 2,150

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-59.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.61 PKR 1,005

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-11.95%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$40.70 PKR 11.3K

$312 COP 1.1M

-86.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$965 PKR 268.4K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-83.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.77 PKR 3,273

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-79.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.65 PKR 5,184

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-42.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 PKR 25.0K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-9.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.17 PKR 7,832

$109 COP 378.8K

-74.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 37.0K

$482 COP 1.7M

-72.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.5 PKR 18.2K

$379 COP 1.3M

-82.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 PKR 92.6K

$837 COP 2.9M

-60.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 PKR 47.9K

$723 COP 2.5M

-76.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,130 PKR 314.2K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-60.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$511 PKR 142.1K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-58.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.2K

$541 COP 1.9M

-67.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

13.43

50.19%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Rawalpindi: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $133 in Rawalpindi versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 212% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Rawalpindi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $95.0 vs $190 – making Rawalpindi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Rawalpindi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 138%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $641 per month in Rawalpindi and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rawalpindi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Rawalpindi and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $427 in Rawalpindi and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rawalpindi, where all-in costs run around $427, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Rawalpindi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rawalpindi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Rawalpindi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.